Emonye Adekwu

How Emonye can help

·       Advise on the merits, risks, value and practical options in a claim or defence.

·       Provide conferences remotely or in person and give a clear action plan.

·       Draft letters before action, responses, statements of case, applications, witness statements, written submissions, chronologies and settlement proposals.

·       Represent clients at suitable court hearings, mediations, arbitrations and adjudications.

·       Advise on enforcement, insolvency options and cross-border strategy.

Civil, commercial and construction disputes

Emonye accepts instructions concerning breach of contract, unpaid invoices and loans, disputed debts, shareholder and director disputes, corporate governance, statutory demands, bankruptcy and winding-up issues, judgment and award enforcement, and disputes arising from building and construction work.

His LL.M. in Construction Law from the University of Strathclyde is particularly relevant to payment disputes, defective work, delay, variations, termination, professional responsibility and adjudication. He acts for claimants and defendants and gives realistic advice on whether a matter should be pursued, defended, negotiated or settled.

Criminal defence, business crime and regulation

Emonye also accepts suitable privately funded criminal defence and regulatory instructions. His particular interest is in cases involving fraud, dishonesty, business activity, directors, financial allegations and regulatory breaches, where close analysis of documents and commercial context is important.

His criminal practice in England and Wales draws on substantial advocacy experience at the Nigerian Bar, including criminal litigation. He can advise on the evidence, case strategy, plea, sentence and appeal, and represent clients at appropriate hearings. Each proposed instruction is assessed carefully to ensure that it is suitable for Direct Access and within his current competence. Where a solicitor or authorised litigator is required, he will explain this at the outset.

Nigeria-UK and international work

Emonye is dual-qualified in Nigeria and England and Wales. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a senior professional rank broadly comparable in status to King’s Counsel, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His cross-border experience is useful where a dispute, judgment, award, asset, company or counterparty has connections with both Nigeria and England and Wales.

He works with clients and, where appropriate, their solicitors or overseas lawyers to identify the correct jurisdiction, law, procedure and enforcement route. Any Nigerian-law work and any English Bar instruction are scoped transparently so that the client knows who is acting, in which jurisdiction and for what work.

Experience

Before developing his practice at the English Bar, Emonye built more than two decades of legal and advocacy experience in Nigeria. His Nigerian experience includes:

·       leading a multi-billion-naira public revenue recovery mandate for a government agency;

·       advising electricity-sector clients on debt recovery, regulation and dispute strategy;

·       acting in a Supreme Court of Nigeria appeal concerning the enforceability of an arbitral award arising from an oil and gas contract;

·       commercial litigation, insolvency, enforcement, construction and regulatory work; and

·       working with English lawyers on cross-border enforcement involving Nigerian assets and English proceedings.

These matters are identified as Nigerian or cross-border experience. They demonstrate senior advocacy, strategic judgment and the ability to analyse complex evidence; they are not presented as English case experience.

Approach and fees

·       Direct access to the barrister handling the work.

·       Early, realistic advice about prospects, evidence, cost and settlement.

·       Plain English and a clear division of responsibilities.

·       Fixed-fee or capped-fee quotations where the work can be defined in advance.

·       Remote conferences available nationwide, with in-person attendance by arrangement.

Public Access

Emonye is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public and businesses. He can advise, draft documents and appear as an advocate. He is not currently authorised to conduct litigation, so the client remains responsible for formal filing, service and day-to-day case management unless a solicitor or other authorised litigator is instructed. He will explain what he can do, what the client must do, and whether another legal professional is needed before accepting the work.

Qualifications and professional background

·       Barrister of England and Wales, called 2013

·       Senior Advocate of Nigeria, conferred 2024

·       Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)

·       LL.M. Construction Law, University of Strathclyde

·       LL.B. (Hons), Ahmadu Bello University

·       B.L., Nigerian Law School

·       Founder and Managing Partner, 24 Law Chambers, Nigeria

·       Notary Public in Nigeria

·       Member, Nigerian Bar Association and International Bar Association

Languages

English, Yoruba, Hausa and Idoma.